Drafting system

ABSTRACT

An intermittently actuated scraper member for one of the front rolls of a drafting system to scrape lint from such roll to prevent the accumulation of lint, trash, etc., thereon, thereby eliminating the cause of lap ups on such roll.

United States Patent Sanders Nov. 13, 1973 DRAFTING SYSTEM [76] Inventor; Grady Sanders, 1586 Old Primary ExaminerDorsey Newton Charlotte Rd. Spartanburg, Attorney-Norman C. Armitage et al. S.C.

[22] Filed: Aug. 9, 1971 Appl. No.:'170,189

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 965,414 7/1964 Great Britain 19/264 [57] ABSTRACT An intermittently actuated scraper member for one of the front rolls of a drafting system to scrape lint from such roll to prevent the accumulation of lint, trash, etc., thereon, thereby eliminating the cause of lap ups on such roll.

10 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEDNUV l 3 I973 SHEET 10F 2 INVENTOR. GRADY H. SANDERS ATTORNEY DRAFTING SYSTEM There are numerous devices on the market today directed to the cleaning of drafting systems in order to prevent lap ups and ends down but these devices do not 1 attack the problem directly. The best time to prevent a lap up or an ends down is prior to the build up of the condition that causes the lap up or ends down. Therefore, the disclosed invention is directed to a device to prevent the accumulation of lint, trash, etc., on the rolls of a drafting system which causes the occurrence of a lap up or an ends down.

It is therefore an object of the invention to prevent the accumulation of lint, trash, etc., on the rolls of a drafting system.

Another object of the invention is to provide an efficient, inexpensive device to clean the lint, trash, etc., off of at least one roll of a drafting system to prevent the build up of fibers thereon.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become clearly apparent as the specification proceeds to describe the invention with reference to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective partially cut-away view of two drafting positions of a spinning frame;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 3 showing a modification of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a partial section view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

Looking now to the drawings, and especially to FIGS. 1 and 2, a running mass of staple fibers F is passed in conventional manner successively between pairs of drafting rolls 10, l2, l4, l6, l8 and with each of the middle pair of rolls 14 and 16 having an endless fiber control apron 22 thereabout. From the nip of front drafting rolls 18 and 20, the fiber F is twisted and taken up by a conventional ring and traveler bobbin spinning system (not shown).

As is well known in the art, a front roll lap occurs when fibers being drafted wrap around either of the rolls 18 or 20 causing the yarn end 24 to come down and in extreme cases, cause damage to the drafting apron 22 and the drafting cradle 26. Normally, a few fibers will lap the roll and then more and more accumulate and wrap around the roll to form the lap. To prevent this condition from occurring a scraper member 28 is provided in engagement with the top front roll 18.

The scraper member 28 is preferably molded from those plastics which are readily moldable and which have good stability and wear characteristics, such as for instance, Delrin acetal resin, nylon and Bakelite. In the preferred form of the invention, the scraper 28. is molded with three projections 30 and a cavity which has three corresponding elongated-finger positions 32 which extend longitudinally through the scraper.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 the scraper member 28 is held in position by a U-shaped member 34 which has a pair of U-shaped scraper member support brackets 36 molded or otherwise secured thereto. The support brackets have pin members 38 molded thereto on the inside face of the arms 40 thereof which project into the cavity of the scraper member 28 to support the scraper member on the top front roll 18. The support member 34 has notches 42 thereinwhich telescope over the roll neck 43 of and between the top center drafting rolls 14 to pivotally mount the support member 34 and the scraper members 28. Molded to the bottom of one leg of the U-shaped support member 34 is a cam follower 44 for reasons hereinafter explained.

- Snapped onto the lower middle roll between two drafting positions is a cam member 46. The cam member 46 has a diameter slightly less than the diameter of roll 16 to insure a snug fit so that the cam member 46 will rotate with the roll 16. It should be noted that the cam member is thicker in the-middle than at the ends to insure proper contact with the cam follower portion OPERATION As discussed previously, the cam 46 rotates with the middle lower roll 16. Upon each rotation of the roll 16, the cam 46 will rotate and engage the cam follower 44 causing it to rotate in the clockwise direction. Rotation of the cam follower 44 in the clockwise direction will cause the member 34 to pivot in this direction. Pivotal movement of the member 34 causes the brackets 36 to raise up. As the member 34 continues to pivot upwardly the scraper member 28 will rise upwardly away from the roll 18. As the scraper member rises, the scraper member will rotate in the clockwise direction since the pins 38 act against the bottom of the finger portion 32 like an eccentric shaft and the weight of the scraper member 28 will cause it to rotate. As the scraper member 28 rotates in a direction opposite to the rotation of the top front roll 18 the front edge of the projection 30 will scrape lint, trash, etc., from the surface of the roll. As the member 34 reaches the extreme upward position the scraper 28, preferably, will be lifted off the roll slightly to allow the dislodged lint, trash, etc., to fall off the roll. As the cam 46 continues to rotate, the scraper member 28 will be lowered onto the roll 18 once again with two adjacent edges of two adjacent projections 30 resting on the roll. When the scraper member 28 initially comes to rest on the roll, the pins 38 will move downwardly to the centerline position of the scraper member 28 whereat the rotation of the roll 18 will cause the scraper member 28 to be moved to the position wherein the bottom of the finger portion 32 engages the pins 38 ready for another cycle.

Since the middle lower roll rotates continuously, it is obvious that the cam-46 will raise and lower the scraper member 28 to allow the scraped lint, trash, etc., to fall away from the drafting area.

FIGS. 2-4 illustrate a modified version of the top roll clearer shown in FIG. 1 and is designed to be pivotally mounted on the roll neck of two adjacent top rear drafting rolls l0 and supports scraper members 28 on top of two adjacent top front drafting rolls 18 through lever arms 48 and 50. As in the modification shown in FIG. 1 the scraper members 28 are supported by pin members 52 which project inwardly from the U-shaped portions 54 on the front of the lever arms 48 and 50.

The top roll clearer of FIGS. 2-4 is of a cantilever type of construction in that the lever arms 48 and 50 are only held together by a cross-support member 56 molded thereto at the rear. The lever arms 48 and 50 are pivotally mounted by means of support plates 58 which each have a notch 60 therein which loosely telescopes over the roll neck 62 and flanges 63 which engage the selected notches 64 on the top of the lever arms 48 and 50. Notches 64 provide selective positioning of the plates 58 to accommodate many different roll settings.

In a manner similar to FIG. 1 the top roller clearer is pivoted upwardly by a cam 66 snapped onto the lower rear roll neck 68 which has a cam surface 70 which periodically engages the cam follower 72 molded to the bottom of one of the support plates 58.

It is obvious that the herein disclosed improved drafting system provides for continuous cleaning of the drafting rolls of a drafting system to prevent the build up of fibers, trash, etc., to eliminate or alleviate the possibility of a lap up. The improved drafting system is simple in construction and can be provided with a minimum amount of capital expenditure per spindle.

Although I have described in detail the preferred embodiments of my invention, l contemplate that many changes may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of my invention, and I desire to be limited only by the claims.

That which is claimed is:

1. A drafting system comprising: a first set of drafting rolls having at least two pairs of rolls in nip forming relationship and being spaced axially from one another, a second set of drafting rolls spaced from said first set of rolls and having at least two pairs of rolls in nip forming relationship and being spaced axially from one another, each of said sets of rolls having a top roll and a bottom roll, said top rolls of each pair of rolls of said first set having a shaft portion extending outwardly therefrom, a scraper member pivotally mounted on said shaft portions and having at least two scraper portions, one of said scraper portions resting on the top roll of one pair of rolls of said second set and the other scraper portion resting on the top roll of the other pair of rolls of said second set and means operably associated with one roll of said first set of rolls to intermittently pivot said scraper member in an upward direction to raise said scraper portions off the top rolls of said second set to allow scraped lint, trash, etc., to fall off the respective rolls.

2. The drafting system of claim 1 wherein said shaft portions are integral and are between said two top rolls of said first set.

3. The drafting system of claim 1 wherein said scraper portions are rotably mounted and have a plurality of projections thereon to provide a plurality of scraping surfaces.

4. The drafting system of claim 3 wherein said scraper portions have a cavity therein, said scraper member having pin members engaging said cavity to rotably support said scraper portions.

5. The drafting system of claim 1 wherein said means to intermittently pivot said scraper member includes a cam.

6. The drafting system of claim 5 wherein said scraper portions are rotably mounted and have a plurality of projections thereon to provide a plurality of scraping surfaces.

7. The drafting system of claim 6 wherein said scraper portions have a cavity therein, said scraper member having pin members engaging said cavity to rotably support said scraper portions.

8. A drafting system comprising: a first set of drafting rolls having two pairs of rolls in nip forming relationship and being spaced axially from one another, a second set of drafting rolls spaced from said first set of rolls and having two pairs of rolls in nip forming relationship and being spaced axially from one another, a third set of drafting rolls spaced from said second set of rolls and having two pairs of rolls in nip forming relationship and being spaced axially from one another, each of said sets of rolls having a top roll and a bottom roll, said top rolls of each pair of rolls of said first set having a shaft portion extending outwardly therefrom, a scraper member pivotally mounted on said shaft portions and having at least two scraper portions, one of said scraper portions resting on the top roll of one pair of rolls of said third set and the other scraper portion resting on the top roll of the other pair of rolls of said third set and means operably associated with one roll of said first set of rolls to intermittently pivot said scraper member in an upward direction to raise scraper portions off the top rolls of said third set to allow scraped lint, trash, etc., to fall off the respective rolls.

9. The drafting system of claim 8 wherein said shaft portions are integral and are between said two top rolls of said first set.

10. The drafting system of claim 9 wherein said scraper portions are rotably mounted and have a plurality of projections thereon to provide a plurality of scraping surfaces. 

1. A drafting system comprising: a first set of drafting rolls having at least two pairs of rolls in nip forming relationship and being spaced axially from one another, a second set of drafting rolls spaced from said first set of rolls and having at least two pairs of rolls in nip forming relationship and being spaced axially from one another, each of said sets of rolls having a top roll and a bottom roll, said top rolls of each pair of rolls of said first set having a shaft portion extending outwardly therefrom, a scraper member pivotally mounted on said shaft portions and having at least two scraper portions, one of said scraper portions resting on the top roll of one pair of rolls of said second set and the other scraper portion resting on the top roll of the other pair of rolls of said second set and means operably associated with one roll of said first set of rolls to intermittently pivot said scraper member in an upward direction to raise said scraper portions off the top rolls of said second set to allow scraped lint, trash, etc., to fall off the respective rolls.
 2. The drafting system of claim 1 wherein said shaft portions are integral and are between said two top rolls of said first set.
 3. The drafting system of claim 1 wherein said scraper portions are rotably mounted and have a plurality of projections thereon to provide a plurality of scraping surfaces.
 4. The drafting system of claim 3 wherein said scraper portions have a cavity therein, said scraper member having pin members engaging said cavity to rotably support said scraper portions.
 5. The drafting system of claim 1 wherein said means to intermittently pivot said scraper member includes a cam.
 6. The drafting system of claim 5 wherein said scraper portions are rotably mounted and have a plurality of projections thereon to provide a plurality of scraping surfaces.
 7. The drafting system of claim 6 wherein said scraper portions have a cavity therein, said scraper member having pin members engaging said cavity to rotably support said scraper portions.
 8. A drafting system comprising: a first set of drafting rolls having two pairs of rolls in nip forming relationship and being spaced axially from one another, a second set of drafting rolls spaced from said first set of rolls and having two pairs of rolls in nip forming relationship and being spaced axially from one another, a third set of drafting rolls spaced from said second set of rolls and having two pairs of rolls in nip forming relationship and being spaced axially from one another, each of said sets of rolls having a top roll and a bottom roll, said top rolls of each pair of rolls of said first set having a shaft portion extending outwardly therefrom, a scraper member pivotally mounted on said shaft portions and having at least two scraper portions, one of said scraper portions resting on the top roll of one pair of rolls of said third set and the other scraper portion resting on the top roll of the other pair of rolls of said third set and means operably associated with one roll of said first set of rolls to intermittently pivot said scraper member in an upward direction to raise scraper portions off the top rolls of said third set to allow scraped lint, trash, etc., to fall off the respective rolls.
 9. The drafting system of claim 8 wherein said shaft portions are integral and are between said two top rolls of said first set.
 10. The drafting system of claim 9 wherein said scraper portions are rotably mounted and have a plurality of projections thereon to provide a plurality of scraping surfaces. 